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ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ: ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ғɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴏᴜᴛʜ

❝ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴏsᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏɴɪɢʜᴛ. ❞

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                      YOU HAD THOUGHT THAT BRENDON'S COLD, HARD STARE WAS THE MOST INTIMIDATINGLY UNNERVING ONE YOU HAD EVER BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF, BUT IT WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO THAT OF THE DIRECTOR.

Sitting on an uncomfortably stiff leather chair in his cube glass office, you felt as if you were back in middle school, called into the principal's office for doing something wrong. Which, when you made a comparison, wasn't too far off from the actual scenario you were currently immersed in.

As soon as you had arrived back at HQ an hour ago, after having taken a shower and settled a bit, you had been summoned to The Director's office, where you had been instructed to take a seat alongside Brendon. Timidly, you slunk into the hard chair, shifting awkwardly under The Director's piercing gaze. You snuck a glance at Brendon and even though the both of you knew you were about to receive a talking-to that would make you want to crawl into the deepest, darkest corner of the earth and never come out, your bodyguard looked as calm and collected as ever – jaw taut and radiating coolness and confidence just like he had the first time you saw him.

Tearing your gaze away from the block of ice sitting next to you, you chanced a look in The Director's direction. He was sitting behind his desk, resting his elbows on it as he steepled his fingers and cast an iron glare on your blanching face. You felt as if he was boring a hole through you and staring into your soul, and you gulped down what minuscule amount of saliva that was left in your mouth.

The scene stayed like this for the better part of twenty minutes; The Director's gaze never wavered, and neither you nor Brendon dared to move or say anything, even though you were dying to alleviate the daunting silence and tense atmosphere that had fallen over the glass room.

The Director had a way of using his steely gaze to play with your head in such a way that after only a few minutes under his penetrative stare, you were silently praying that he would yell or toss things around in anger, rather than just torturing you with silence. But he was perfectly aware of what he was doing, and he continued with his form of silent torture for as long as he deemed necessary. Which, apparently, was seventeen minutes and thirty-seven seconds.

When he did finally break the silence, he spoke slowly and deliberately and kept his tone neutral, so that what he was saying would resound clearly in your and Brendon's heads.

"What, pray tell," he started, looking from you to Brendon, "were you thinking?"

You didn't respond at first, and neither did your bodyguard, but when the superior began tapping his index fingers together as if to say I'm waiting, you let out a short sigh and straightened up in your seat. Opening your mouth, you were about to try account for the clear violation of rules that had occurred, but your bodyguard beat you to the punch.

"I was thinking that since (Y/N) has been holed up in this place for the past few months, it would be good for her to get out for a little while," Brendon said smoothly, the words that held so much trouble spilling from his lips without so much as a hint of reluctance, "And what better day to do it on than her birthday?"

The Director raised an eyebrow at his agent. "Is that so?" he muttered, "And, tell me, Agent Urie," he continued, voice clearer now as he steadied his gaze on the office door behind you two, "this plan of yours – the one you amassed to take (Y/N) out tonight... did you think it through?"

"I thought that I had, sir," he answered, voice unwavering despite the challenge of authority he was facing; you were gobsmacked by his lack of concern, "but unfortunately I was wrong."

"Hmph," came the reply. After a moment of no words being spoken, The Director stood up and made his way around the desk to the front before he proceeded to lean back against it, eyes once again darting from you to Brendon. "I could have lost you tonight," he said softly, allowing his facial features to soften for a minute, "I could have lost both of you. And why? All because of some stupid ass decision that you made, Agent," he spat, pointing an accusatory finger at Brendon, who simply clenched his jaw in response.

"I expected better from you, Urie, I really did," The Director spoke, rubbing a hand over and around his mouth, "You of all people know how dangerous of a feat tonight was. You knew how great of a possibility there was that something bad would happen. You knew that she," he darted his eyes to you, "could have died. Or worse – captured by Hydra. Now, for someone who is supposed to be protecting her at all costs, you tell me," he leaned in closer to Brendon, "do you think that the stunt you pulled tonight was a good move?"

"No, sir," Brendon replied. You noticed that his grip on the edge of the chair's armrest had tightened.

"Then why the hell did you do it?"

"He was just trying to do something nice," you interjected, causing Brendon to turn and look at you. The Director, on the other hand, kept his eyes locked on Brendon, not even bothering to glimpse at you.

"Something nice that could've cost you your life," he countered, making Brendon turn to face him again.

"What couldn't cost me my life?" you huffed, rolling your eyes, "From the very first moment I set foot in this hellhole, I've been on lockdown. I felt like a prisoner, not able to go anywhere, do anything, see anyone... it was driving me insane. So Brendon, unlike everyone else around here, decided to do something about it. And it was the best I've felt in a long time, so yes, it wasn't the smartest of moves, but it definitely wasn't the dumbest of ones either," you hissed, glaring at your dad's oldest friend. You thought you caught sight of Brendon's lips curve into a smirk, but you couldn't be sure.

"His job is not to take pity on you," The Director stated, returning your unfriendly glare, "His job is to protect you. And by the looks of it, he hasn't quite been so strict in adhering to what the job entails. I trusted that he was the best fit for the job, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe I should reappoint you a new bodyguard."

With a scoff, you stood up from your seat. "Like hell you are!"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," you sassed, anger boiling up inside of you, shocking both men with your assertiveness, "Brendon is literally the only reason I'm still alive right now; he's never failed to protect me. Not once. He's also a better agent than all of the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D combined, and we all know it. You are not reappointing me a bodyguard. He stays. Or so help me God, I will turn myself in to Hydra."

At first, both of them just stared at you, no doubt in shock over your sudden outburst. Eventually, The Director gave a slow nod, and you were certain that you caught a smirk from Brendon this time around.

"Alright then," The Director said, still nodding, "Brendon stays."

You smiled triumphantly. "So, are we free to leave, now?"

"You are, yes. I need to speak with Brendon."

Ignoring the suspiciousness of the situation, you headed for the door, brushing it off as just The Director wanting to reprimand him some more. Sighing, you walked down the hallway to your room.

~

"So much feistiness for such a tiny person," Brendon remarked, referring to your outburst in The Director's office as he leaned against the doorframe of your room, not at all looking like someone who undoubtedly just got yelled at.

"I am not tiny," you defended, closing the book you were reading and tossing it back onto the pile at the foot of your bed.

"Sure," he crossed over to take a seat next to you, "tiny."

"Yeah, well, this tiny person just saved your job so..." you pointed out, tossing him a smug look as you brought crossed your legs on the bed, "Even though I know that you were probably aching to get rid of me. But I live to bring you misery," you cheeked.

Brendon's face turned serious. "(Y/N)," he frowned, and you tilted your head to the side in confusion. He studied your face for a while before whispering. "You know that I'd die before I'd let anything happen to you, right? And I'd never, ever do anything to purposefully put you in danger."

You felt a lump form in your throat that wouldn't go away no matter how many times you swallowed. Your bodyguard was looking at you earnestly, and you stared back with a blank face, caught off guard by what he'd just said. It was unlike him to show so much emotion in one night. Or even one month, for that matter.

"Yeah," you whispered, nodding, "Yeah, I know."

"Good," he nodded, looking at you the same way he had earlier, in the office. Which reminded you...

"Brendon?" you furrowed your brow.

"Mm?"

"What did Fury want to speak to you about?"

Instead of replying, he lifted his hand and brought it to your face, gently cupping it. "It's been a long day," he said, "Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

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Thank you for reading x